A Knight in Central Park(72)
Her face reddened. “Heaven’s no.”
He raised a brow. “I’ve never seen you so angry. Stop worrying, I’ll make sure it is you who has the pleasure of washing my back next time.”
She growled.
Leaving her, Joe stepped outside into the cool morning air and promptly asked the men what the problem might be.
“The boy stole our coins. He will be tried accordingly,” one of the king’s men stated outright.
“I didn’t take anything from these jackanapes!” Garrett bit the man’s hand that held him.
“God’s teeth!” the man cursed. “Throw me some rope,” he ordered his companion.
“What proof do you have that the boy stole anything from you?” Joe asked.
“The boy ran the moment he spotted us,” the man said.
“Before you accuse the boy of stealing, maybe you should have more proof than that.”
The man shot Joe a murderous glare as he held Garrett’s arms tight behind his back, instructing the other man to search the boy’s pockets. His companion came forward, reached into Garrett’s pocket and pulled out a half-dozen coins.
Joe heard Alexandra gasp.
Garrett’s eyes widened upon seeing the coins. “I didn’t do it. I don’t know how they got there.”
Joe rubbed his temple as they tied Garrett’s hands and feet. If Garrett didn’t control his temper, he was going to end up with a rope around his neck. Joe came back inside and said to Alexandra, “I have an idea.” But before he could stop her, she ran past him.
“You can’t take my brother,” she cried. “He’s only a boy.”
“The boy must learn that stealing will not be tolerated, especially from the king’s own purse.”
“He didn’t take anything,” Alexandra ground out. “I did. I stole your precious coins.”
“Alexandra,” Joe said, exasperated beyond belief, “don’t do this. Tell them you didn’t take their money.”
“Nay,” she said, shaking her head. “Never. I stole your money,” she said to both men, holding out her hands for them to bind her.
Garrett was already tied and propped upon one of the horses. He had a gag in his mouth and was doing his damndest to spit the rag from his mouth.
“George,” one of the men called, “Tie her up. Looks like we have a family of thieves on our hands.”
“We have no need to take the woman, ’twill only slow us,” George told the other man.
“They are thieves. We will bring them both.”
Although George was not keen on taking Alexandra along, he did as the other man said.
Alexandra winced as George tied a rope about her wrists. “Let my brother go. ’Tis the two of you who are the thieves...stealing from the innocent and using King Henry’s name to fill your own greedy pockets.”
“Muzzle her, too,” the man told George. “I have no wish to listen to her endless ranting.”
Joe had heard enough. He turned from the door and went to Susan who now hovered over her little sister in hopes of keeping Rebecca from harm’s way. “Susan,” he said, “do you remember the pills in my bag, the medicine you saw in my case?”
She nodded.
“It’s in my room. Could you get them for me as quickly as possible and bring them to the kitchen?”
“Aye,” she said and off she ran with Rebecca close behind.
Joe glanced through the window, estimating how much time he might have before the king’s men headed off. One horse was packed and ready, but the other horse seemed to be having a problem with his shoe and was being led toward the stables.
Sebastiano came to stand beside him. He shook his head. “’Tis too bad. She was a sweet lady.”
“What do you mean she was a sweet lady?”
Sebastiano frowned. “The boy might be spared because of his youth, but the woman will be hung for sure.”
Joe felt the blood drain from his face. “I’m not going to let them take her.”
“What choice do you have?”
“Tell me more about the Black Knight. Didn’t you say I could be his mirror-image?”
“Aye. Without a doubt.”
“Others, too, have mistaken me for the Black Knight.”
Sebastiano stroked the beginnings of a goatee. “Ahhh, I see. One look at the Black Knight might well have King Henry’s men running through the woods with their tails between their legs. Although,” he added, pondering the idea, “The Black Knight wears a mask and a—”